Bronx Personal Injury & Real Estate Blog

Q: Can a DWI crash lead to a civil lawsuit?

A Bronx teacher learned some hard lessons recently – – lessons that resulted in her being charged with “vehicular manslaughter, vehicular assault, driving while intoxicated, and driving while ability impaired”.

New York personal injury attorneys know that if the events of that teacher’s day unfolded the way authorities claim, the teacher could be subject to civil lawsuits on top of the criminal charges she is facing.

Officials reportedly claim the teacher was “driving drunk” on a school day morning when she had an automobile accident with a man driving a Kia. She allegedly fled the scene of that accident with the Kia driver in pursuit and ended up hitting a man who was just discharged from Jacobi Medical Center as he exited the building. The man was reportedly rushed back into the hospital but died from “body trauma”.

Regardless of the outcome of the criminal charges, the Kia driver and/or the closest surviving relatives of the dead man may have a civil lawsuit against the teacher if they can prove she was responsible for any injuries or death.

A personal injury lawsuit is appropriate when someone negligently, recklessly, or intentionally causes a serious injury to somebody else. Damages may include current and future lost income, current or future medical expenses, property damage, and more depending on circumstances.

If a victim dies from their injuries, their closest surviving family members may be entitled to sue in a wrongful death lawsuit. Damages recoverable differ on a case-by-case basis but often include the victim’s final medical and funeral expenses, the victim’s pain and suffering before death, as well as financial and other losses sustained by the surviving family members as a result of the loss of the victim’s income, benefits, companionship, and more.

If you or a loved one has been injured, or a loved one has been killed, as a result of someone else’s actions, the Goldstein Law Firm may maximize the compensation to which you may be entitled. Contact us today for a free consultation.

From our office in the Bronx, New York, we represent accident victims and their families throughout New York City and New York State, as well as those injured while visiting New York.